Growing feeder for poultry



Dec. 12, 1950 w. w. FARIS GROWING FEEDER FOR POULTRY Filed Jan. 26, 1946 47' TO 2N5 Ks.

Patented Dec. 12, 1950 Di STATE rar EN T OFF K C E tor-ROWING FEEDERFOR POULTRY Webster Groves,'-li io.

Application-January 2s, maserial No. 643,713

(01. ire-61) =1 Oiaim. .1 'i.The present invention relates generally to poultry equipment, and more particularly to' a novel growing feederconstruction.

.fieretofore, numerous typesof growing feeders for poultry have been constructed but such have been found deficient respect to the support ing-rneans therforaand in the trough construc-- tion, particularly in respect to the cleaning of the trough edges. Theqpresent invention overcomes the difficulties existing in prior constructions.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel support construction for a growing feeder for poultry which incorporates ready adjustment features.

' Another object is toprovidenovel supporting-construction for-a growing-feeder for poultry whereby the feeder mayibe' supported on wire mesh, piled straw,- orthe lilreyas well as. on a solid foundation.

Another objeotis top fl pporting'construction for. a growing 'feeder for poultry whi'cliiaso'rolated to the trough'o'f the feeder as to encourage its use as an. adjustable supporting means for the trough.

Another object is to provide a novel edge constructure for the trough of a growing feeder for poultry which can be readily cleaned and sterilized.

Other objects are to provide a novel supporting construction for a growing feeder for poultry which is sturdy in construction, which is simple to manipulate, which is economical to manufacture, and which is readily constructed.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from the following description taken from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a growing feeder for poultry incorporating support and trough features constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the feeder shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the feeder shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on theline 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, IE3 indicates generally a poul try growing feeder constructed to embody the principles of the present invention.

' Broadly, the feeder It includes a trough !2, a

horseshoe transverse cross section (Fig r) having'longi tudinal edges as formed by turning back. a'portion' 22 of the body 'm'etal. The turned=bach portion 2; isspaced' from the main wallor the body portion is to provide a longitudinal opening or recess 2 An end member 26 of'the configuration shown having a'peiipheral flangei is secured to each end'of the body portion IB-b'y spot-welding, or the like. Each-end member" 25 has a pair of spaced apertures alongea'c'h vertical edge; eachaperture 3e receiving a bolt stand nut'fi i (Fig. 5) for a purpose described beiow.

The wire grill M comprises a plurality of U shaped members 33 preferably of heavy gauge galvanized, wire. The U-shape'd members 36' are secured together" to form the griil longitu dinally disposedmembers and ee' welded'or otherwise securedthereto near the ends of the" legs of the U shaped members. The grill Hi is pivotally connected to the body portion !8 of the trough i2 by spaced hinges d2 which, as shown, are in the form of metal straps encircling the longitudinal member Gil and bolted to the body portion i8, with the longitudinal member 3!] abutting and in superimposed relation to the associated longitudinal edge 20. The U-shaped members 36 are of a width at the free ends so that the longitudinal member 38 rests on its adjacent longitudinal edge 28 when the grill I4 is in operative position (Fig. 4). The grill l4 may be readily removed after installation by removing the bolts of the hinges 32.

The trough I2 is supported by four leg members 16 of heavy galvanized steel, which are of identical construction except for right and lefthand members, and, therefore, only one is described below in detail. Each leg member is includes an upstanding attaching portion is in the form of an angle bar having an end face 46 and a side face at. The end face 46 has a plurality of aligned spaced keyhole slots 59 which are adapted to selectively engage the bolts 32. The end face 46 is enlarged at 52, as shown in the drawing. Each leg member 18 also includes a base portion 54, which is preferably formed integral with the end face 46 of the upstanding portion 44. The base portion 54 is in the form of a fiat plate of substantial supporting area,

being of a length equal to the width of the end face 46 plus the enlargement 52 and of a Width equal to the Width of the side face 48. The base portion 54 forms with the side face 48 an acute angle, as is shown in the drawing.

It is manifest from the foregoing and from the drawing that the bottom of the trough I 2 can be disposed at a selected distance from the supporting surface by means of the adjustable leg members l6. Sufficient keyhole slots 50 are provided in the leg members l6, and the bolts 32 with their nuts 34 are so disposed in the end members 26, that the first adjustment stage of the leg members l6 places the trough l2 substantially on the supporting surface, which is the normal position for feeding new-born chicks, and the like. As the chicks, or the like, grow, the trough I2 is raised from the supporting surface from time to time simply by loosening the nuts 34 and the bolts 32, and resetting the leg members l6 in the next keyhole slots provided. The adjustment is quite simple and requires no special tools, inasmuch as the bolts 32 may be loosened by a small coin, an

' edge of a detached leg member H5, or the like.

The ease of adjustment provided in the present invention discourages disconnecting of the leg members and disposing the trough 12 on bricks, or the like, a practice prevalent where feeders of heretofore known construction are employed, a practice which is not conducive to the proper feeding of the poultry.

The large supporting base portions 54 of the leg members l6 provide means whereby the present feeder may be disposed on wire netting on which thousands of chickens, and the like, are now raised, on floors of straw and other material which may be employed, and on other surfaces through which the supporting legs of feeders heretofore used slip, rendering adjustment useless.

The longitudinal spaces or recesses 24 provide means for cleaning or disinfecting this portion of the trough 12, it being essential to disinfect feeders from time to time. A smooth feeding edge is necessary to prevent feeding poultry from seriously injuring their necks, and in feeders heretofore known, no provision has been made for cleaning the edges of the feeder. The disinfectant or water from a hose easily travels up the face of the body portion l8 and into longitudinal spaces 24.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given only by Way of illustration and example. It is manifest that changes in conversions and in materials will be obvious to those skilled in the art, all of which modifications are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention, the present invention being limited only by the claim which follows.

What is claimed is:

A growing feeder comprising, in combination, a trough including ends, a pair of legs at each trough end, each leg being of angle cross section and having a plurality of keyhole slots in one side thereof, each leg including a fiat base portion of large supporting area, aligned openings in the trough ends, and a pair of readily removable and replaceable bolts extending through two keyhole slots of each leg and through apertures in said trough ends and secured against removal,

said four legs being individually adjustable.

WILLIAM W. FARIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,109,009 OBrien Sept. 1, 1914 1,126,094 schafiert Jan. 26, 1915 1,500,343 Southard July 8, 1924 1,907,765 Erickson May 9, 1933 2,020,503 Hanson Nov. 12, 1935 2,221,013 White Nov. 12, 1940 2,213,416 Slawson Sept. 3, 1940 2,278,281 Plante Mar. 31, 1942 2,308,701 Martin Jan. 19, 1943 2,320,828 Murphy June 1, 1943 

